Bearcats Sweep Past Boxers, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- Lindsey Compton (Sr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) recorded nine kills, and Willamette University swept Pacific University, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday, Sept. 25. The Bearcats won, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19, to improve to 7-4 overall, 3-0 in the NWC. Pacific dropped to 2-8 overall, 0-3 in the NWC.

Compton just missed finishing with her third consecutive triple double. In addition to her nine kills, she earned 12 assists and 10 digs.

The Bearcats deployed a balanced offense. Compton was followed on the kill chart by Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) with eight kills, and by Emma Liband (So., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS), also with eight kills.

Tynan Gable (So., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) matched Compton with 12 assists. Libero Kaylen Higa (Fr., Mililani, HI/Punahou School) contributed a team-high 13 digs.

Alexa Dowdell (Jr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) topped all players with three block assists and supplied three of Willamette's seven service aces. The Bearcats committed just three serving errors. Pacific had one ace and six serving errors.

Clara Smith led the Boxers with 11 kills. Marie Rewick tacked on nine kills. Karissa Komo chipped in 20 digs, while Lia Zablan earned 12 digs. Jamie Steach finished with 18 assists and Emily Farnham registered 16 assists.

The first set included 10 ties and nine lead changes. Pacific owned a slim 12-11 lead after 23 points. The Bearcats earned the next five points, including an ace and a kill by Compton, to force the final tie and lead chance of the set. WU moved in front, 16-12.

After Pacific cut the lead to three points on the next rally, Willamette put together a 6-1 run for a 22-14 advantage. The Bearcats won the set, 25-19.

Willamette surged out to a 7-3 lead in the second set, including two kills by Fincher. The Bearcats extended the lead to 21-14, before Pacific rallied to within 23-21 on a kill by Rewick. Two attacking errors by the Boxers ended the set, with WU winning 25-21.

The Bearcats owned a 10-5 advantage in the third set after running off seven consecutive points, including six with Gable serving. Gable recorded Willamette's ninth point of the set with an ace, and then assisted Compton on a kill for the 10th point.

Pacific tied the set at 13-13 following a string of four consecutive kills starting and ending with attacks by Rewik. The teams were tied two more times, before an attacking error by Rewick, followed by a combo block from Liband and Riley Fawcett (Jr., OH, Normandy Park, WA/John F. Kennedy HS) gave WU a 17-15 edge.

Later, with the Bearcats holding a 19-17 lead, Higa pushed the ball over the net from the back row on WU's second touch to sneak in a kill for a three-point margin.

The Boxers pulled within two points at 20-18 and 21-19, but Willamette closed out the match with a 4-0 run that included a kill and two service aces from Dowdell, plus a kill by Compton.

Willamette will remain at home to take on University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Sept. 26. Match time at Cone Field House is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).